Ronnie O'Sullivan is competing at the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship, where potting a golden ball could earn him £760k
15:17, 19 Nov 2025
Ronnie O'Sullivan missed the chance to pot the unique golden ball during a practice session ahead of the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship. 'The Rocket' will hope to avoid a repeat during the tournament as he sets his sights on clinching the title for the second time.
The event introduces an additional golden ball, worth an extra 20 points, which stays on the table as long as a 147 break is achievable. If a player manages a maximum, they get the chance to pot the lucrative golden ball for a record-breaking 167 break.
The stakes are high as the player who accomplishes this feat will earn an eye-watering £760,000 ($1million) bonus, more than triple the £250,000 awarded to the tournament winner. However, O'Sullivan's practice session showed that potting the golden ball isn't as easy as it sounds.
In a video clip shared on social media by the World Snooker Tour, nine out of the tournament's 12 competitors were filmed potting a black on the practice table before taking aim at the golden ball. O'Sullivan was the first to step up but saw his shot rebound off the cushion.
Luckily for O'Sullivan, he wasn't the only one to miss the mark. Neil Robertson, Zhao Xintong, Shaun Murphy and Ding Junhui will also be hoping for better luck if the opportunity presents itself again during their matches.
READ MORE: Snooker star's wife gets seal of approval for Judd Trump and Mark Selby interventionREAD MORE: Ronnie O'Sullivan didn't invite parents to his wedding with Laila Rouass after 'toxic feud'On the other hand, Mark Williams, Mark Allen and John Higgins will be keen for their practice efforts to pay dividends after successfully potting the golden ball. Kyren Wilson went a step further, flaunting his confidence with a no-look pot.
O'Sullivan kicks off his campaign on Wednesday evening against either Masters champion Murphy or Saudi Arabian teenager Ziyad Alqabbani, who meet in the opening round.
The 49-year-old triumphed in the inaugural tournament in March 2024, defeating Luca Brecel in the final. While O'Sullivan is chasing another title in Riyadh, the snooker legend has confessed he'd rather become the first player to pot a 167 break.
Speaking ahead of the competition, O'Sullivan said: "I'd rather get the big break. I mean, I won the tournament before and it's great to win the tournament, but to get the 167 I think that'd be amazing. An amazing achievement if anybody could do it.
"Someone said there's been 14 147s this year. So that's a hell of a lot. But to get that golden ball, that's the true test.
"I don't think anyone will do it, if that's my personal opinion. I'd be happy to be wrong."
Mark Allen returns as defending champion after also seeing off Brecel in last December's final. The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship features the world's top 10 players alongside two Saudi Arabian wildcards.
The competition runs over three days, with both semi-finals and the final scheduled for Friday, November 21.